A two-week Caribbean cruise in February is wonderful! It is an excellent way to escape winter for a couple of weeks.
My husband Jonathan and I left out of Tampa, Florida, on the Carnival Pride. It was on Super Bowl Sunday, so Super Bowl parties and many other events were happening throughout the ship.
The first three days were spent at sea to sail as far south to warm weather to begin our island hopping. This may seem too long, but the Carnival Cruise Lines has activities all day and night; there is no time for boredom on sea days.
A daily publication with a schedule of events called the Fun Times is provided in the mailbox outside the cabins every evening for the next day. It consists of all the entertainment, including comedians and live shows in the evening. In addition, a listing contains a variety of live music in all venues. The Fun Times has a schedule of activities that begin early in the morning and into the night, and one can do as much or as little as desired.
Jonathan and I had three days of spectacular weather while at sea. These days are for comfort and relaxation and are designed to reset your body and attitude for the rest of the trip, and the following three days consisted of consecutive stops at three different islands.
The first port was St. Thomas, a popular island and shopping destination. It is one of the three largest United States Virgin Islands. Next, we visited the well-known Magens Bay Beach. It is ideal for swimming and snorkeling. The beach is about two miles long, and it is easy to walk along the coastline, with beautiful views.
The next port was St. Kitts, the first English colony in the Caribbean. We decided to walk into the port area with no plans. We were pleasantly surprised to find a nice gentleman offering a tour for $25.00 (US) per person, and we took it. The company is named Ecstasy Tours and is very reputable. We took an open-air bus and experienced the breathtaking views of the island. The highlight of this tour was a stop at Timothy Hill Overlook, where the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean meet. The final stop was at a new beach club called Carambola on South Friar’s Bay. The water was crystal clear, and the beach club was elegant.
The third port of the three islands was Antigua. It is a former British colony, and the main port is located in St. John’s, the capital of Antigua. We went on an excursion to Hawksbill Bay and Eden Beach, which is clothing optional. It is remote and magnificent. After the beach, we had time to walk around St. John’s, which had many quaint shops, bars, and restaurants.
Our fourth port was Grand Turk. It is the capital island of the Turks and Caicos in the Atlantic Ocean. We spent the entire day at the Cruise Center Beach, where the sand and ocean were pristine.
Amber Cove, in the Dominican Republic, was our next stop. It is located just outside Puerto Plata, filled with bars, pools, lounges, and an outdoor mall. It was founded by Christopher Columbus, the first European settlement in the Americas. This port was exclusively for our ship that day.
The last two islands were also exclusively for our ship. The first was Princess Cays, located on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, and Half Moon Cay, a 2,400-acre private island named for its crescent-shaped beach. Both days were excellent beach days.
We had three more sea days during the second week of the cruise. We spent them at the pool, and at night we enjoyed our many new friends from all over the world. Many people on the cruise came from destinations as far away as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
